Island



UNITED STATES PATENT ornice.

RICHARD F. JOYNES, OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

STEERING APPARATUS.

Specification` of Letters Patent No. 32,425, dated May 28, 1861.2

lo all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD F. JoYNns, of Bristol, in the county of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Rudder or Steering Apparatus for Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of t-his specification.

Figure l, is a central, vertical section of the apparatus, lengthwise of the vessel, the rudder itself being in elevation; Fig. 2, a central, vertical section of the same, transverselyV of the vessel, the rudder being in elevation; Fig. 3, a plan of the under side of the apparatus, as looking upward from the line af m, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a plan of a portion of the deckvof the vessel, where the apparatus is attached, as looking downward from the same line.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

The rudder B, is of ordinary construction,

the apparatus being applicable to any simple rudder in use. It is hinged to the stern post P, of the vessel, at a, a, as usual, and its head E, turns in the deck A, in the com mon way.

My apparatus for operating the rudder, is situated in a hollow casting C, which has a broad base resting on the deck, to which it is secured by two bolts t, t, and incloses all the working parts closely, as a cap.

On the head E, of the rudder is secured a cog-wheel H, which has a tubular portion, or hub Z, for keeping it firmly in position thereon, and attaching it thereto, by a screw or bolt m. Also, respectively on the two bolts t, (which fasten the cap casting C, to the deck of the vessel,) as axes, are two smaller cog-wheels, or'pinions, I, I, which gear accurately and closely into the central cog-wheel H, on opposite sides thereof, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3; the centers of all the cog-wheels being in one straight line. The edect of this arrangement is to keep the head of the rudder centered in the hole of the deck, so as to prevent its playing loosely therein, and to prevent its bearing against the sides thereof, and consequently to take away all friction from such a bearing except the slight amount produced by the gearing of the cogwheels H, I, I, together.

In the under surface of the central cog- `wheel H, are three or more hemi-spherical cavities, r, 731", all situated at equal distances from the center of the cog-wheel, as shown in Fig. 3. Then in the upper surface of a counter-plate M, which is let into the deck of the vessel, just beneath the cog-wheel H, is a concentric, circular groove p, somewhat less than semi-circular in cross section, and of the same diameter (or thereabout,) as the cavities r, r, r, in the cog-wheel above. This groove is just as far from the center of the cog-whcels motion as are the cavities r, r, r; and balls s, s, s, areplaced respectively in the said cavities, so that they also rest and roll in this groove, as indicated in Fig. l. The whole arrangement is such that these balls lift the rudder somewhat from its bearings a, a., at the stern-post, and thus support the whole weight of the rudder. Thus roller friction is substituted for rubbing friction,

and the rudder is held more steadily, as well as allowed a freer motion in its bearings. v ,j

To t-he rudder head E, is coupled a pipe or hollow cylinder D, by a bolt c, or otherwise. This pipe is provided with two spiral slots cZ, d, in opposite sides thereof. these slots move the projecting arms f, f, of a nut g, which travels on a stationary screw G, in the center of the pipe. The ends of the arms f, f, also slide respectively in two vertical grooves c, c, in the opposite interior surfaces of the cap casting C. The screw G, turns in bearings t, z', and has a wheel H, at the top, for working it. Thus, as this screw is turned, the nut g, travels up and down; and since the stationary grooves c, c, are vertical, and the slots d, cl, in the pipe D, are spiral, the said pipe is necessarily turned, and withrrit the rudder B, by the action of the screw. The degree of spiral inclination given to the slots d, d, may be varied as desired, so as to give more or less power; and thus a vessel of any size may be steered by one person, or more, as desired. The rudder is also rmly retained in any position in which it is left, without .any effort of the man or the men at the wheel.

If it is preferred or desired to employ a tiller, the tiller shaft is coupled to the rudder head by a screw m; and by having a set of five or more holes n, n, (represented by red lines,) in the rudder head, so that the screw m, may be inserted into either one of them, the rudder maybe held stationary in any position required.

I am aware that some parts of the mech- Working the rudder, substantial-1y as and for 10 anism above described have before been the purposes herein specified.

used, in different connections and arrange- In Witness whereof I hereunto set my ments; and I do not claim any of such comhand this 25th day of February 1861. 5 bnations' but What Iclaim as my invention and desire RICHARD F' JOYNES to secure by Letters Patent is, Witnesses:

The arrangement and combination of the JOHN W. DEARTH,

mechanism for supporting, guiding, -and THOMAS HOLMES. 

